Pocono Mountain schools to drop block scheduling

New requirements of state standardized teaching have triggered a radical scheduling change at Pocono Mountain School District's upper levels starting in the next school year.

MICHAEL SADOWSKI

New requirements of state standardized teaching have triggered a radical scheduling change at Pocono Mountain School District's upper levels starting in the next school year.

The new schedule will change the district's graduation requirements, its curriculum and its daily class schedules as a way to tailor the schedule to what the new state standardized testing will require.

The district will move from its current "block" schedule that teaches four classes per day to a more traditional schedule that teaches six classes per day.

Graduation requirements will be reduced from 28 to 22 credits for a high school career. Requirements for English, math and social studies remain the same. However, science will be cut from four credits to three and one computer class will no longer be required.

There will be changes at the junior high level as well.

The changes come only because of the changes in the state testing format, Superintendent Elizabeth Robison said, and not because of any budgetary concerns.

The most controversial cuts come in physical education and health, which will move from four credits required to just two, and in electives, which drop from eight credits to six credits.

Physical education teachers from the district questioned board and administration officials about the logic behind slashing the requirement.

"Don't take away from the one subject that teaches you about the mind, body and soul," said Terri Martin, a physical education teacher in the district.

The state will scrap its current testing format after this year and move to one that emphasizes algebra, literature and biology.

The changes will not increase the amount of time students spend in school per day, and will also change the schedule at the junior high level.

The district also said it may alter elective offerings so that some classes may be taught over one semester instead of a full year. That proposal could be before the school board in April, district officials said.